Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies : Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

I’m so excited to be sharing my favorite sugar cookie recipe with you today, on the second day of Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies, an online cookie swap hosted by Dominique of Gusto and Grace! Go check out her Salted Chocolate Pretzel Bark from yesterday, and follow along with us as we share Twelve Days of Cookies!

The recipe that I’m sharing with you today is an old fashioned recipe that’s been in my family as long as I can remember. These sugar cookies are so soft and delicious, with a simple buttercream icing. I love making them every year, they’re always a hit. While it may be a little bit time consuming, this really is an easy recipe, and so worth it. Nothing beats homemade sugar cookies at Christmas time!

The buttercream icing slightly hardens on the outside, while still staying soft.

Don’t have the time or the energy to ice cookies? Sprinkle cookie dough cut-outs with colored sugar before baking!

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies makes 2 ½ dozen cookies

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup butter (room temperature but not melted)

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Mix together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add butter and use a mixer to blend ingredients until butter is in small pieces.

In a different bowl beat eggs. Mix in sugar and vanilla. Add into first mixture. Mix until all wet and dry ingredients are well combined. Use your hands to form dough into a a cohesive ball. Dough is easiest to work with if you chill it before rolling and cutting.

Work with a small amount of dough at a time, so the dough doesn’t get over-worked. Flour surface before rolling dough out. I roll the dough to just over 1/4″ thick, for thick, cake-y cookies. Cut out cookies and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 375° for 6 to 8 minutes or until bottom’s of cookies are lightly golden brown.

Icing recipe

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp light corn syrup

2 tbsp melted butter

3 tbsp hot water

gel food coloring

sprinkles, jimmies, sugar pearls, colored sugar

Beat all ingredients, except food coloring and sprinkles, together with a mixer. Separate frosting into bowls so that you can create a variety of icing colors. I like to use gel food coloring because it gives excellent coloring without altering the consistency of the frosting.

More water or powdered sugar can be added if icing becomes too thick or thin.

I love classic soft sugar cookies like this (especially the frosting. I’m a frosting addict.) In my family we always add a little lemon and a little lime zest to our cookie dough for just a hint of freshness. SO good.

If you follow the recipe exactly (and don’t thin it out with extra water) the corn syrup should make the icing set up really well… let cookies lay flat and dry for several hours. I usually wait and stack cookies on plates right before heading out to a gathering. In a pinch, small sheets of waxed paper, between layers of cookies, will keep everything safe!

about me

I’m Shae Pendleton, a home cook and blogger, sharing old family recipes and new favorites. I also create handmade home decor items, which are for sale in my Etsy shop. Click above for more info about me, click below to check out my Etsy shop...

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